Why migrate from Alexa?
- Amazon deprecated the Echo Plus Zigbee hub and Echo (4th gen) Zigbee hub, making locally-controlled Zigbee devices dependent on Amazon's cloud.
- Alexa Routines run entirely through Amazon's cloud — a multi-second delay is typical, and they stop working during outages.
- Alexa has no local API: custom automations and device state access require Alexa Skills, which are cloud-only.
- Home Assistant runs automations locally in milliseconds with no Amazon dependency.
- Matter support on Alexa is limited: multi-admin sharing to other platforms requires a separate setup code.
What carries over
Matter devices
Recommission to HA using the 'Share to another platform' flow in the Alexa app. Matter multi-fabric means Alexa voice control keeps working.
Zigbee devices from Echo Plus / Echo 4th gen
These devices need to leave the Echo Zigbee mesh and join a new coordinator (ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT). Most Zigbee devices from major brands are supported — hold the pairing button to factory-reset them from Echo.
Wi-Fi devices (smart plugs, bulbs, switches)
Most brands have HA integrations. TP-Link Kasa, Tapo, Govee, Meross, and Shelly all connect locally without cloud. Check the HA integration catalog.
Z-Wave devices
Alexa rarely uses Z-Wave directly. If you have a third-party Z-Wave hub (SmartThings, Hubitat) behind Alexa, migrate the hub separately using Z-Wave JS.
Alexa voice control (optional)
Home Assistant can expose entities back to Alexa via the Nabu Casa cloud subscription ($7/month) or a self-hosted Alexa Smart Home Skill. This lets Alexa voice commands keep working while HA handles automations.
What you will need
Home Assistant instance
Home Assistant Green (€99) is the easiest starting point. Home Assistant Yellow includes a built-in Zigbee radio, which is useful if you have Echo Zigbee devices to migrate.
Matter Server add-on
Required to commission Matter devices. Free, install from HA Add-on Store.
Zigbee USB coordinator
Required if you have Zigbee devices that were paired to an Echo Plus or Echo 4th gen. Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus (~€20). Home Assistant Yellow has one built in.
Thread Border Router
Required if you have Thread devices and are removing all Thread-capable Echo hardware. HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or Aqara Hub M3 each serve as Thread border routers.
Migration steps
- 1
Set up Home Assistant
Flash HA OS to your hardware. Complete onboarding. Confirm HA is reachable from your local network. Do not remove anything from Alexa yet.
- 2
Install Matter Server and set up Matter integration
Settings → Add-ons → Matter Server → Install. Then Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration → Matter. HA is now ready to commission Matter devices.
- 3
Recommission Matter devices to Home Assistant
In the Alexa app: open the device, find 'Share to other smart home apps' or 'Matter Settings', and generate a pairing code. In HA: Settings → Devices & Services → Matter → Add Device. Enter the code. The device now responds to both Alexa and Home Assistant.
- 4
Set up a Zigbee coordinator and migrate Echo Zigbee devices
If you have Zigbee devices paired to an Echo Plus or Echo (4th gen): install ZHA (built-in) or Zigbee2MQTT add-on. Plug in the USB dongle (or use HA Yellow's built-in radio). For each Zigbee device: hold its pairing button until it blinks three times (factory reset from Echo mesh), then pair it to ZHA. The device's settings and automations must be rebuilt in HA.
- 5
Add Wi-Fi device integrations
Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration. Search for your brand. TP-Link Kasa, Tapo, Govee, Shelly, Meross, and many others auto-discover on your local network. Accept the discovery prompt or search manually.
- 6
Rebuild Alexa Routines as HA automations
Open Settings → Automations. Each Alexa Routine becomes an HA automation. A routine that says 'At 7 AM → turn on bedroom lights to 40%' becomes a HA time-triggered automation. More complex routines (motion-triggered, voice-triggered) use HA's trigger and condition system.
- 7
Optionally keep Alexa voice control via Nabu Casa
Subscribe to Nabu Casa ($7/month): this exposes your HA entities back to Alexa as a Smart Home Skill. Voice commands ('Alexa, turn off the kitchen lights') keep working, but the automation logic now runs locally in HA.
- 8
Test for one week, then retire Alexa Routines
Run both systems in parallel. Verify each HA automation runs correctly before deleting the Alexa Routine equivalent. Once confident, remove devices from the Alexa app and unplug the Echo if no longer needed for voice.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Echo Plus and Echo (4th gen) use a Zigbee coordinator built into the device. When you unplug or remove the Echo, all Zigbee devices paired to it lose their controller — migrate them to a USB coordinator first.
- Alexa Skills (third-party app integrations) do not have equivalents in Home Assistant. Check the HA integration catalog to find local or cloud-based replacements.
- Alexa voice commands continue to work alongside HA if you keep Echo devices active. Matter multi-fabric means a Matter device can be controlled by both systems simultaneously.
- Devices that only support 'Works with Alexa' via cloud may still work in HA if the brand has a native HA integration. Many do — the HA path is often more local than the Alexa path.
- If you have a Thread border router in an Echo device (Echo 4th gen Thread, Echo Show 15), replacing it requires adding another border router before removing the Echo.
FAQ
Can I keep using Alexa voice control after migrating to Home Assistant?
Yes. Home Assistant can expose devices back to Alexa via Nabu Casa (cloud subscription, $7/month) or a self-hosted Alexa Smart Home Skill. This lets you say 'Alexa, turn off the lights' while automations run locally in HA.
What happens to Zigbee devices that were paired to an Echo Plus?
Zigbee devices need to leave the Echo mesh (factory reset them from the Echo app or hold the pairing button) and rejoin a dedicated Zigbee coordinator. Home Assistant Yellow has one built in. Otherwise, use a Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus with ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT.
Do my Matter devices need to be factory reset?
No. Use the 'Share to other smart home apps' or 'Matter Settings' flow in the Alexa app to generate a pairing code. Add the device to HA using that code. Both Alexa and HA can control it simultaneously.
Will my smart plugs and switches still work?
Most Wi-Fi smart plugs and switches from TP-Link, Shelly, Meross, and similar brands have official HA integrations with local control. Cloud-only Alexa devices (no local protocol, no Matter) need a local integration or Matter firmware update to work in HA without cloud.
How long does the migration take?
A typical setup of 20–30 devices takes 2–5 hours spread over a weekend. Zigbee migration is the slowest step: each device needs to be factory-reset and re-paired individually. Matter devices are fast (one pairing code each). Automation rebuilding depends on complexity.
Next step
Feedback
Help improve this compatibility data
Smart home compatibility changes quickly. Send a report, request a missing device, flag information that needs another review, or tell us if a paid setup diagnosis would save you time.
Save the setup path, missing hubs, limitations, and next steps for later.
Tell us which device, hub, or ecosystem should be added to the compatibility library.
Flag outdated, incomplete, or unclear setup guidance so it can be reviewed.
Tell us if you would pay for a one-time setup diagnosis report, and what device or hub is blocking you.